diff --git a/MANUAL.markdown b/MANUAL.markdown
index a39f89bb7..c4f03521c 100644
--- a/MANUAL.markdown
+++ b/MANUAL.markdown
@@ -932,6 +932,10 @@ need to make small edits to restore compatibility for one or the other.
 hledger does not allow separate dates for individual postings, unlike c++
 ledger.
 
+Likewise, hledger does not support per-posting cleared status. It does
+ignore a cleared flag (`*`) at the start of a posting, so that the account
+name is parsed correctly.
+
 #### Features not supported
 
 c++ ledger features not currently supported include: modifier and periodic
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
index 2fd3aa73a..5606ff204 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Read/JournalReader.hs
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ ledgereffectivedate actualdate = do
   return edate
 
 ledgerstatus :: GenParser Char JournalContext Bool
-ledgerstatus = try (do { many1 spacenonewline; char '*' <?> "status"; return True } ) <|> return False
+ledgerstatus = try (do { many spacenonewline; char '*' <?> "status"; return True } ) <|> return False
 
 ledgercode :: GenParser Char JournalContext String
 ledgercode = try (do { many1 spacenonewline; char '(' <?> "code"; code <- anyChar `manyTill` char ')'; return code } ) <|> return ""
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ ledgerposting :: GenParser Char JournalContext Posting
 ledgerposting = do
   many1 spacenonewline
   status <- ledgerstatus
+  many spacenonewline
   account <- transactionaccountname
   let (ptype, account') = (postingTypeFromAccountName account, unbracket account)
   amount <- postingamount
diff --git a/tests/cleared-marker.test b/tests/cleared-marker.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32e427758
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cleared-marker.test
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# report cleared transactions only
+#
+bin/hledger -f- print --cleared
+<<<
+2010/1/1 x
+  a  1
+  b
+
+2010/1/2 * x
+  a  1
+  b
+
+2010/1/3 *
+  a  1
+  b
+>>>
+2010/01/02 * x
+    a             1
+    b            -1
+
+2010/01/03 * 
+    a             1
+    b            -1
+
+# report uncleared transactions only
+bin/hledger -f- print --uncleared
+<<<
+2010/1/1 x
+  a  1
+  b
+
+2010/1/2 * x
+  a  1
+  b
+
+2010/1/3 *
+  a  1
+  b
+>>>
+2010/01/01 x
+    a             1
+    b            -1
+
+# we don't yet support cleared postings, except we should ignore the marker when parsing them
+bin/hledger -f- balance --no-total
+<<<
+2010/1/1
+  a    1
+  *a   2
+  * a  4
+  b
+
+>>>
+                   7  a
+                  -7  b